


Like Father, like Son

by S0up



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Royalty, DadSchlatt, Found Family, Minecraft, SHIPPERS DNI, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit Friendship, Villain Jschlatt (Video Blogging RPF), War, dad!jschlatt, if you ship real people get away from me, tschlatt au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:53:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27074545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/S0up/pseuds/S0up
Summary: His whole life, all Tubbo knew was Manberg and the wars that always seemed to plague his country. Emperor Schlatt took in the boy as a child and raised him as the next in line for the throne, keeping him confined inside the fences that bordered Manberg. One day, as Tubbo is going to tend to his bee garden, two boys emerge from the thick forest and kidnap him.Lmao sorry I'm not good at descriptions but hey, read if you want !!
Relationships: Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, Jschlatt & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, Tubbo & Tommyinnit
Comments: 41
Kudos: 840





	1. The Two Princes

The more Tubbo thought about it, running away seemed fun. His father kept him under constant supervision to ensure he didn’t get hurt in any way, to preserve his bloodline and sense of power over the people of Manberg. Tubbo sighed as he thought up fantasies of running into the forest with his bees and never returning, leaving behind the pressure of royalty and responsibilities.  
“Prince Tub!” A voice shouted him back to attention, the moment a sword nearly sliced his shoulder. He jumped back immediately, bumping against the walls of the training barracks. “Are you okay young master? I apologize, we can end training for today.” A man dressed in black and red robes approached the young prince, fussing over the small cuts he had earned throughout the day’s training. “Bad, I'm fine! Lets keep going, that was my fault.” He assured the older warrior who only scowled back in disbelief. Sir Bad B. Halo, the most revered and skilled warrior in all of Manberg, had been assigned to train the prince nearly 7 years ago, yet still got worried if the sparring got too intense, much to Tubbo’s disappointment.  
Bad sheathed his sword as did Tubbo, signaling that practice was done before he could even get a word of resistance in. “You improved a lot this month, young master. Although I doubt you will participate in the war, you would make a fine knight!” Bad exclaimed as he patted the prince’s shoulder lovingly. Bad was probably the only caring adult figure he had in Manberg, the head knights were afraid to get anywhere near him, Quackity didn’t respect him as his own person if his father wasn’t in the room, Vice President George gave him the same acknowledgment as a porcelain doll. His father, emperor Jschlatt, was a man he never could understand. Some days, the man would lovingly spend hours on end with his son, listening to his rambling and stories of adventure with his pet bees. Other days, the man would yell at him and shove him around, literally and metaphorically, calling him “a burden” or “the bitch of Manberg”. It was at times like those, Tubbo dreamed of running, fleeing into the thicket that surrounded the nation.  
Tubbo and Bad arrived at the palace dining hall after a silent walk. Before Tubbo could open the large door, Bad grabbed his shoulder. “Young Master, be careful. The heads of the nation are having a feast tonight, so stay quiet. For me, please, stay quiet and they won't yell at you.” Tubbo shuddered. He despised cabinet feasts, where all the people who hated him most sat and ate dinner together. Ever since Tubbo inherited the responsibility of becoming the next emperor, the heads of the nation did everything in their power to stop it. He sucked in a deep breath before composing himself and pushing the door open, Bad following in behind him. The men standing around the large ballroom stopped their conversations and watched as he sped walked up to his father’s side, his knight strolling along as well. Schlatt turned to his son with a shit eating grin taking up the majority of his face as he pulled the boy into a side hug.  
“Tubbo! How was your day, my son!” 'Ah', Tubbo thought to himself, 'he’s upset with me'. He could tell by the way his father’s eyes lit up and the slight twitch of his ears that Schlatt was thoroughly pissed off at the boy, but putting an act up due to the many powerful men in the room.  
“I- I did well in training today father.” He replied sheepishly, keeping his gaze on his neatly polished shoes. He could sense his father glance to Sir Bad who nodded in response. With that, Schlatt clapped the boy’s back a little too hard and exclaimed it was time for dinner. Tubbo sat and leaned his head back in relief, letting the weight of his growing horns fall against the chair’s plush back. About three months ago, large, brown ram horns had sprouted from the top of his head, resulting in the worst headache Tubbo had ever had for nearly a week straight. Now with the horns almost fully grown in, he resembled his father almost too much. Their brown hair, pale skin, goat ears, and boxed pupils made the two practically identical, save from Schlatt’s taller demeanor and facial hair.  
The group of men dug into the wide array of food before them, tearing into different types of meats and roasts, while Tubbo remained motionless. He waited until the moment a single kitchen staff came into the room to sit up in his seat. The man walked to his left and placed a single bowl of salad and fruit in front of the young prince. He heard Schlatt groan and many of the advisors glance over to the head of the table. Tubbo flushed in embarrassment and ducked his head, taking a small bite of the fruit. Bad looked at the boy with sympathy as he dug into a plate of sausage and potatoes. There were many conversations going over the boy’s head as he finished off his meat-less dinner and sat as he awaited the others to finish.  
“Tubbo,” He flinched and looked to his father who glared down at the boy. The men around the table stopped talking almost immediately and stared at the two. “Y-yes father?” Schlatt looked at the men around the table as he grabbed a leg off a roasted chicken and dropped it on his son’s plate. “I won’t have my son being half a man. Eat.” He leaned back in his throne as Tubbo stared at the dismembered chicken in horror. “Father, please. I thought we talked abou-” He pleaded before being shut up with a slap. A wave of suffocating silence encased the dining hall, everyone in the room paused, afraid to make a movement. “When I tell you to do something, you DO IT. Now eat.” The emperor stood and left the room, followed shortly by all the advisors and men at the table. Tubbo stared down at his lap, feeling warm tears well up in his eyes as his clenched fists began to shake.  
“Oh dear, young master,” Tubbo whipped his head up in alarm before Bad wrapped him in a hug. “It’s okay. It’s okay, hush, he’s gone now.” Bad mumbled as the boy sobbed into his chest.  
“I hate him. I hate looking like him.” Tubbo muttered through his sobs. As his tears died down, he leaned back slightly, regret washing over his features. “Bad, I did something…. Something bad.” He felt himself tear up again as memories resurfaced. “I tried to… I tried to cut the horns off.” He heard Bad gasp and put a hand on Tubbo’s head. “My poor boy. Did you hurt yourself?” He asked, Tubbo didn’t respond. Bad cleared his throat awkwardly and stood, leading the prince away from the dining hall and up to his room, away from the uneaten plate of chicken that would haunt Tubbo’s dreams for the next week. 

Tommy awoke in a cold sweat, grabbing for the knife that lay under his pillow. “Prince Tommy?” A voice asked nervously at the young prince’s quick reflexes. “Oh Niki, it’s just you.” Tommy sighed and relaxed slightly into his bed, returning the knife to it’s spot as Niki made her way to his side. “Breakfast is ready sir, your father has something important to tell you and your brothers so you better hurry.” Niki teased as he pulled the blankets off the half asleep prince, much to his annoyance. “If it’s so important, why didn’t he come here and wake me up.” Tommy grumbled as he curled into a ball, trying to go back to sleep. Niki laughed and threw the boy’s uniform at him. “It’s my job to wake you up. Plus, the King is a busy man. He wouldn't waste twenty minutes a day trying to get his most stubborn son out of bed.” She joked and ran from the room before Tommy could throw something at her. He cursed as he got dressed for the day and made his way down the winding staircase as it opened up to a bustling kingdom of Pogtopia. He sighed and walked down the road as he approached the main castle. People were running about the market, living their fast paced lives and barely acknowledging the Prince as he finally reached the castle doors. Tommy had decided to live apart from his family’s castle due to the simple fact that his brothers would always wake up earlier than him and woke him up as a result. Technoblade, his oldest brother, would wake at 4 am every single fucking day to tend to his private garden and spar the rest of the day until dinner. Wilbur, his other older brother and the next in line for the throne, would wake at 7 am for meeting and battle strategy planning. He was given the responsibility of the next in line as a result of Techno forfeiting it, in his own words “eh I don’t care who’s in charge as long as it isn’t me”. Tommy huffed as he finally reached the dining room where his father and brothers were already sat and eating without him. As he sat, a plate of eggs, bacon, and mashed potatoes was placed before him.  
“Thanks for waiting for me, you guys.” He said sarcastically, earning a punch from Techno as well as a kick under the table from Wilbur. “What was that for?! I didn’t even say anythi-” “Now that we’re all here, I have something important to tell you boys.” Tommy shut his mouth as his father rose from his seat. King Philza, a man who’s wings protected the entirety of his nation, now sat in his pajamas as he ate breakfast with his sons. Said man pulled a bag up from his side and placed it in the center of the table, earning the stares of the three brothers.  
“This is for you boys, there's something in there for each of you.” Philza nodded to the satchel. Techno reached for it first and pulled a wooden contraption out of the bag. “A crossbow? Father, what does this mean?” Techno questioned as Wilbur reached across the table for the bag, pulling out a bow and quiver. “Wh- I don’t know how to do archery? I have to prepare for the next battle soon father, what is this joke?” Wilbur fumed as he handed the nearly empty bag to the last of the sons. Tommy snatched it and pulled a shimmering purple longsword from the dirty old satchel. He stared at the blade in awe, too entranced in it’s beauty to see his father smile lovingly. “My boys, these are all weapons of mine that I now hand down to you. Each of them are responsible for our nation’s freedom, protect them and remember what we are fighting for. Wilbur,” Philza patted the middle son’s head and ruffled his curly hair. “As you plan strategies, remember who and what you are doing it all for. The people of Pogtopia deserve a king who understands the difference between fear and freedom.” Wilbur stared at his father with an awestruck expression. Philza turned to Techno and the crossbow. “Now, my oldest son, my most unpredictable child, I give you this crossbow for you to train with. You’re already the most skilled fighter in this kingdom, so hopefully you can branch out and find new areas to improve and find new hobbies that will lead you to become a better man and a fearsome warrior.” Techno smiled slightly to the king and tucked the crossbow onto his pack. Finally, Philza turned to Tommy who still cradled the longsword. His brothers also turned to look at Tommy, who shifted slightly under their intense gaze. “And finally, my youngest. Tommy, I give to you my personal blade. This sword has been handed down for generations, to the next in line for the throne, and now I give it to you.” Philza smiled at Tommy’s confused expression. “Wait, next in line? Wilbur is the next for the throne? Why didn’t he get the sword?” Tommy questioned as he handed the blade over to Wilbur who simply shook his head and grinned at the youngest. “Okay, now you three are pissing me off. What is going on?” He exclaimed. Philza laughed and pulled Tommy into an embrace. “Don’t you understand? Wilbur is forfeiting his place for you, he wants to become a general. Tommy Soot, will you be the next king of Pogtopia?”


	2. Unintentional Kidnapping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 pog !! I hope you enjoy!

The morning air ran across Tubbo’s face as he stared at the bustling kingdom below him. He sat perched at the highest point in Manberg, a clearing he found on an “adventure” with his bees one late evening. He stood at the cliff side, breathing in freedom for the few minutes he could be alone. His usual accompaniment consisted of Manberg’s only ally, King Eret, Bad B. Halo, and his personal friend, a mercenary that lived on the outskirts of Manberg land, Sir Skeppy. This day in particular had been different from the others, instead of waiting for Bad to turn a blind eye to his departure, Tubbo had simply slipped behind a tree as the three talked about the war and ran further into the forest as they called out his name. A part of him felt bad for the punishment that the three guardians would receive when they returned to Schlatt without him, but another part of him was overjoyed at the thought of absolute privacy. He could loosen his tie, or even slouch, and not be yelled at by his father or the many other people that constantly judged him. So there the young prince stood, at the top of the mountainside, staring down at the life he had never been a part of. From where he stood, he could roughly make out the shape of a young girl running to her mother who was calling her in for breakfast. Tubbo smiled to himself and imagined himself as the child, running to a loving mother’s arms and eating a home cooked meal with family. He was pulled from that fantasy as a leaf got caught along his horn, making him flinch slightly at the still painful sensation. After attempting to saw the horns off in a relatively bloody and painful evening, Tubbo’s horns remained in constant dull pain. He snatched at the leaf that took the dream from him and tore it into small shreds before returning to staring dully at the black flag that flew in front of the castle, where he was supposed to be right now. That is, until the rustle of bush leaves came from behind him. His ears twitched at the noise and quiet whispers danced their way to him. With his heightened hearing, he could make out the nearly silent talking yards away from the tree-line.   
“Wilbur get down he might see you!” A voice whisper yelled. ‘There’s two then.’  
“I recognize him actually. I believe that is the goat’s son!” Another voice exclaimed, he sounded older and more serious.   
“This kid?! That’s Prince Tub? He doesn’t look so dangerous, I could take him!” The first voice didn’t even bother whispering and the rustle of the bush alerted Tubbo of the incoming person. He didn’t move however and allowed a blade to swipe close enough to his neck to slice his head clean off. Tubbo’s ear flicked back to the boy behind him as the purple blade nicked his neck.  
“I finally found you, Prince Tub.” The sword wilder smirked, venom dripping from his words. ‘Father must have done something to these people.’  
“I’ll make you pay for what you have done to my people.” There was a pause of tense silence before the boy whispered “You are exactly like your father.” Something snapped within the young prince at the words. His first encounter with non-Manbergians and they already despise him for his bloodline.   
The other person emerged from the forest and called to the man holding the sword. “Prince Tommy! We have to go! Be careful-” but it was too late. Within a second, Tubbo had knocked the sword from the boy’s grip and forced him to the ground with the tip of the blade pointed at his exposed neck. With the sudden exchange of upper-hand, Tubbo got a good look at his attackers. The boy below him was shocked, scared. Tubbo huffed in annoyance, all bark no bite. He was blonde with bright red eyes and had small metal items welded to his teeth. The man from the forest however stood still afraid of what Tubbo might do if he moved a muscle. The Manberg prince glanced up at the man, taking note of the bow around his shoulder and the poison arrows sitting in the quiver at his hip. The boy under him shifted slightly and pushed at Tubbo’s leg. “Get off me dickhead!” The blonde yelled as Tubbo stepped back slightly, shocked. His brain went fuzzy, black static filling up his thoughts and through it all, the same voice yelling “dickhead” made its way through the blocked memories. The prince stumbled slightly and lowered the purple sword to the ground.  
“Dickhead?” Tubbo murmured, earning the blonde boy’s attention. “Do I know you?” They asked at the same time. The two prince’s shared a second of confused eye contact before an arrow pierced its way through the air and implanted into Tubbo’s shoulder, making the boy stumble backwards, close to the edge of the cliff. The blonde erupted off the ground and grabbed the purple sword. Tubbo embraced for the impact, the sword cutting him open at any moment, but no sensation came.  
“Wilbur stop! He’s not a threat!” The boy screamed at the brunette who had another arrow trained on Tubbo’s head. He flinched slightly under the older man’s intense and unwavering glare, but also relished the fact that the man who he just threatened is defending him. Granted, he could feel the poison of the arrow spreading along his arm, making it go numb, but besides that the blonde was protecting him with his own body. Tubbo’s head was beginning to hurt from the amount of yelling the two were doing until a loud thud drew him from his aching and poisoned headache. A blonde man had just landed between the two boys, large purple wings folding out from his shoulder-blades. He stared in awe as the man scolded the brunette and strode over to the blonde in front of him.  
“Tommy, what are you hiding?” He placed a hand on the boy, making his body relax and move out of the way of the older winged man, exposing Tubbo in all his injured and defenseless glory. “Oh my, a poisoned arrow too. How long has he been like this Tommy?” The man asked as he examined Tubbo’s wound. He recoiled at the man as he drew nearer, sending him off of solid ground. His eyes widened slightly as the ground below him turned to open air as he fell off the peak of the mountain.   
“Shit!” The winged man exclaimed as he dove off the cliff as well, catching Tubbo in his arms and flapping the purple wings behind him in powerful strokes. The prince stared in awe at the feathers as they moved, falling in and out of consciousness as the pain spread throughout his entire body. “Stay awake son, we’ll get you to a doctor.” The man said, fake assurance reading his features. Tubbo didn’t care however, that was the first time he felt happy being called son. He let the void of sleep take him as the man flew him further away from Manberg.

“Wilbur what the hell was that?!” Tommy screamed at his brother as they ran through the familiar forest, chasing after their father who flew yards ahead of them. Wilbur sheathed and attempted to punch the younger as they sprinted back to Pogtopia. “Don’t fucking ‘what the hell’ me! Why did you protect him?! He’s Schlatt’s SON, Tommy! That man has killed thousands of our people, he deserves justice for his actions.” Tommy didn’t reply, thinking how batshit crazy his brother could be sometimes. The two finally reached Pogtopia’s secret entrance that led down into the mines and Techno’s private potato garden. By the time they made their way to the castle infirmary, Tubbo had already been healed into stable condition, but still unconscious. Philza stood at the boy’s side, staring down at his sleeping form in pity until the doors were thrown open, Tommy running up to his father’s side as Wilbur stood at the entrance.  
“He’ll be fine in a day or two. I’m proud of you, Tommy.” Phil said sadly as he patted his son’s back and stalked back to the entrance of the infirmary where Wilbur stood waiting. “I’ll have a word with you, now.” He murmured to Wilbur as the two left, leaving Tommy to collapse next to the unconscious prince. His legs shook from running and his hands shook from the adrenaline that pumped through his veins. Something about the boy was familiar. When he stood over him with the sword to his throat, something about the goat prince reminded him of something.  
“I’m glad you didn’t die.” Tommy whispered, relief flooding his mind knowing that maybe after the prince awakes, he’ll may be able to find why the boy gives him major deja vu. He ran a hand through his dirty hair and sighed, leaning against the hospital bed and dozing off to a dreamless void as the boy above him stirred slightly in his sleep.


	3. Far From Home

Hours turned to days, days turned to weeks, until Tubbo shifted in his hospital bed nearly three weeks after his arrival to Pogtopia. Niki ran to alert the youngest prince before the kingdom had begun to wake. Their footsteps traced in moonlight, the two ran through the marketplace towards the sleeping castle as lights began to light up the waxy window panes. “Niki, you saw him right? He is awake?” Tommy shouted to the maid as she heaved the giant, wooden door open for the boy. “Yes! Yes, of course! I wouldn’t have woken you if I hadn’t! You’re the first to know of his waking, as your request.” She shouted back as they sprinted up staircases and through winding hallways until the door to the infirmary was within sight. The door itself was slightly ajar, candle light flooding out into the darkness of night. Tommy halted his pursuit, pausing far in front of the open room, facing down the terrified person that stood in it’s frame.  
“You-” Tommy began before the figure bolted, running off in the other direction of the prince and maid. “Wait! Please, we won't hurt you!” Tommy called as he chased down the fleeing prince. They continued their running until Tubbo fell prey to a dead end, cornered as the blonde prince approached him slowly. Niki hushed a gasp as she noticed the trail of blood that followed the goat prince up to his red stained shoulder. Upon noticing his injury, Tubbo grimaced and clutched the bleeding wound, retreating back further against the wall.  
“Please, you’re going to keep hurting yourself if you don't trust me.” Tommy pleaded, raising his hands up to show his lack of a weapon. Niki looked back at the boy in shock, surprised by his worried and caring attitude.   
Tubbo hissed in pain and clutched his shoulder tighter, glancing between the two Pogtopians. “I DONT trust you, that’s the problem. How did I get here? Who are you people?” He attempted to yell, his voice only coming out scratchy and weak, much to his displeasure.   
Before Niki could attempt to comfort the enemy prince, Tommy took a step closer to his shivering form. Tubbo slinked backwards and shifted uncomfortably as his shoulder began to tear open more. Tommy reached the shorter boy and offered a smile. “I promise, as long as I am in Pogtopia, nothing and nobody will harm you.” Tubbo stared up at the blonde, disbelief and hesitance written on his features. He was in a conflict with no exit he wanted to travel. The easiest one being to follow the strange boy and get his wound fixed again, maybe staying long enough to figure out where he was.   
He nodded slightly to Tommy, who’s smile grew more. Niki stifled a giggle, making Tommy’s smile drop to an unreadable expression, much to Tubbo’s confusion. “Niki, fetch father and Techno. We will give Prince Tub a minute to get patched up before I allow Wilbur anywhere near him, am I understood.” Tommy snatched Tubbo’s wrist as he dragged him back the way the group had run and away from the woman who stared at their retreating figures in shock.  
The two princes continued on in silence until Tubbo caught sight of the open infirmary doors, glancing up at the stone-cold features of the blonde boy leading him. “Who are you?” He whispered out making Tommy jump slightly. He shifted slightly, letting go of Tubbo’s wrist and dropping into a bow. “I am Prince Tommy Soot, the next ruler of Pogtopia and head of the disc library. Pleasure to meet your acquaintance.” Tubbo stared back at the boy, emotions flashing across his face. This boy, the one who saved his life, was his sworn enemy, the one person he was raised to fight. “Don’t worry. I know who you are, Prince Tub of Manberg.” The blonde explained as he led the other into the hospital, Tubbo following wearily. Within the empty infirmary, Tommy pulled out a rolled bandage and alcohol, motioning for Tubbo to sit in front of him. As he sat and pulled the blood-stained shirt over his shoulder, he could feel the other prince’s eyes silently judging the scars that left puffed patterns lacing his shoulder. He shifted uncomfortably under the gaze, Tommy noticing immediately and apologizing. “So, Big T; do you mind if I call you that? Anyways, what’s with the goat horns?” Tommy attempted to start a conversation as he wrapped the other boy’s shoulder. Tubbo, taken aback by the blunt question, began to laugh. Tubbo genuinely laughed for the first time in years. “You- you can’t just ask why I have horns?! What does that even mean?” He said through giggles. Tommy laughed as well and shrugged slightly. “I don't know! I’m just trying to get you to talk. I feel kinda bad that my brother did this to you so I’m trying to lighten the mood!” Tommy replied, Tubbo recalled the similarities between the two boys after their ambush. “Do you treat all your hostages this nicely?” Tubbo joked. Tommy jumped up from his seat, making Tubbo flinch back in surprise. “I am not nice! I’m a ruthless leader who doesn’t take hostages!” Tommy shouted, aimed more so at himself than anyone in particular. Tubbo stifled a laugh. “Then what am I?” Tommy opened his mouth to retort, but found no words to answer. He sat down defeated as the brunette laughed his ass off. The door creaked open, the two princes falling quiet as the King and oldest prince entered the room, tired but surprised at the ruckus coming from the lit room.   
“Tommy? Niki woke us up nearly crying? What happened?” Phil asked, voice laced with concern for the two boys. Tubbo was hit through the heart by the enemy king’s reaction, his worry for both the princes even if one was an imposter among the loving kingdom.  
“Sorry to wake you two, but Big T woke up!” Tommy exclaimed, gesturing to the patched up prince that sat beside him. Techno’s eyes narrowed at the boy, a cold shiver running up his spin at the glare, but King Philza broke the staredown with an exasperated sigh of relief.  
“Oh thank god. Prince Tub, it’s a pleasure to have you here. I hope my son didn’t offend you in our absence.” Tommy huffed in annoyance at his father’s excuse, earning a confused noise Tubbo. “Oh, he’s been nothing but polite? I believe he’s been nice to me this entire time?” Tubbo questioned himself as a reply to the King. Phil and Techo both looked at Tommy in surprise, making the prince erupt in a fit or embarrassment. “Do you both expect so little of me! I can be nice when I want to!” He yelled at the two, who still looked at him silently. “Oh shut up, both of you!” He grumbled, sitting back down into the chair. The king and oldest prince took seats next to Tubbo as well as the family continued their banter, Tubbo finding comfort in watching the homely interaction, and smiling to himself.

The room fell quiet as the door flew open once more to reveal a dishevelled prince Wilbur and Niki, who looked out of breath from running around the castle all night. Tommy stood up as his brother strode across the room to the group. Tubbo felt the air get tense the closer the prince got to him. Tommy moved in front of him and stood his ground between the two. “I didn’t ask you to come here.” The blonde prince grumbled to which Wilbur rolled his eyes. “I came to apologise, Tommy. Get off your high horse.” Tommy moved to his left slowly, letting Wilbur reach Tubbo’s bed. The two stared at each other before Wilbur collapsed into a deep bow. The room watched the man as he shook slightly. “Prince Tub. I am extremely sorry for my attack on your life. I was doing it to protect my brother but now realize I was in the wrong. Please forgive me.” Tubbo stared at the man’s head before turning to Tommy for help. The boy simply shrugged, not much help at all. “It’s alright, sir. I am at your mercy now and your hospitality is apologies enough.” Tubbo replied. Wilbur stood up straight as Niki sighed out in relief.  
“Well now that that’s all settled,” Niki spoke up, earning everyone’s attention, “Breakfast is ready.”

Manberg had fallen to a state of unrest as search parties scoured the surrounding land for any trace of the lost prince. Schlatt had been locked in his castle ever since King Eret, Sir Bad, and Sir Skeppy reported back that Tubbo had vanished during their morning walk. The emperor held daily meetings with the war council, trying to make a connection between his son’s disappearance and the war that continued to get closer to Manberg territory.   
Bad B. Halo entered the vast throne room, his steel shoes clicking against the marble floor as he made his way across the room to where Jschlatt sat. He was surrounded by men making plans of attack and search party reports, excusing them all as Bad reached his throne. He fell to his knees before the emperor.   
“My lord, I believe I have found someone and something that may lead to the young master.” The knight reported to the goat king, who stood suddenly at the news.   
“Who?! What have you found?!’ Schlatt demanded, making Bad rise from his spot. He instructed a man adorned in a decorated orange uniform to step forward into the room. The man reached Schlatt’s pedestal, an orange fox tail sweeping around the man’s stocky legs and his large canine ears twitching forward slightly as he presented the emperor his findings, a purple feather drenched in blood.  
The fox man bowed slightly and stepped back from the throne. “I found it at the prince’s garden atop Prime Mountain during a search party. The feather belongs to King Philza of Pogtopia and the blood matches the scent of prince Tub.” Schlatt held the feather between two fingers, scowling at the crusted blood that encased the quill. “What’s your name, soldier.”  
“Private Fundy, my lord.”  
“Fundy, I’m placing you in charge of retrieving my son. That is the highest priority. He is the next and only future ruler of Manberg. If you fail at this task, you and your men will be killed for treason. Do you understand?” Jschlatt held his hand out to the fox man who immediately took it in his own and shook, signing away his fate.  
“For Manberg.”


	4. Lemon Tarts and Apologies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Give the poor dad his son back :(

Pogtopia sat in a large cavern, hidden from the sun and moon, thriving off of their hidden existence. While Manberg searched the forest that devoured the open wilderness, Pogtopia lay undisturbed in the cave system that stretched under the majority of the Dremion Empire and Manberg. Tubbo was dragged around the outskirts of Pogtopia by the youngest prince, who droned on and on about the kingdom’s history. As the two toured closer towards the heart of the major city, Tommy handed the Manberg prince a red cloak, laced with white fur and golden silk. Tubbo stared at the intricate robe, feeling the rich textures, draping it across his shoulders.  
“Pull it over your horns. If anyone recognizes you, it’ll be trouble for both of us since you’re not technically supposed to leave the castle.” Tommy explained, pulling the hood of the cloak around the brunette’s growing horns. They now curled around his ears almost completely, making his head much heavier than he was used to. Tommy noticed the way his company was shifting his weight more often and tilting his head as if in pain, but he didn’t comment on the behavior and led the boy into the market. People flew by the two, the city alive with a breath of urgency that Tubbo had never experienced. Back home, marketplaces were quiet and respectful, no bartering or trading, simple capitalism as his father put it. But in Pogtopia, the market was full of stalls selling everything ranging from baked goods to weapons. Tubbo stood and gazed upon the courtyard in awe, taking in the rush and excitement of the enemy kingdom.  
Tommy turned to the boy and offered his open hand. “Where would you like to go first?” Tubbo hesitated before taking the other’s hand and walking forward silently to the first open booth he saw, the open wall of a bakery. As the two approached, people parted out of the prince and hooded figure’s path as they reached the baker herself. She loaded more fresh Danishes onto the counter before noticing the prince standing before her.  
“Well, if it isn’t his royal highness himself. How’ve you been, Tommy?” The lady asked, tucking her purple hair behind her ear with a tisk. Tommy rolled his eyes in mock annoyance yet smirked at the woman. “Hello to you too, Minx.” She looked between the odd duo, focusing mostly on the hidden face beneath the red hood. “What can I get for you two? Your usual?” Minx questioned. Tubbo shuffled closer to the counter and pointed to the lemon tart that sat in all its flawlessness, the shimmer of it’s glaze reflecting in Tubbo’s heart. He had never been allowed to eat, much less make desserts like the tart, and the simplicity of its presence enchanted the goat prince. Tommy laughed slightly. “You want the tart? It’s gonna be sour, you sure you want that one?” Tubbo turned to the blonde and grabbed both his hands, attempting to show his acquaintance how much he loved the little pastry without speaking. Tommy laughed once again and smiled at the cloaked figure. “Okay, okay. Let’s get some sweets too.” He assured the other as he turned back to Minx, who leaned on the counter confused by Tommy's unusual behavior. “Since when did you let people disagree with you?” She mocked, the prince tensed slightly but shook off the jab. Minx and Niki were the only two Pogtopians who could make fun of Tommy without being injured in the process, Tubbo however didn’t know this and tensed as well at the baker’s joking. As Tommy pointed out other treats they were to purchase, he spared a glance to Tubbo and immediately felt fear flood his system. Tubbo stared at the woman's turned back with the most terrifying glare Tommy had ever seen. Pure, unfiltered hatred leaked off the boy’s exposed eyes, his boxed pupils dilated, a slight shimmer of red emanated from the void black goat iris. Tommy forced his body to move, moving from his deer in the headlights paralysis, latching his hand on Tubbo’s shoulder. The boy snapped out of his deadly ice stare and turned to Tommy, confused. The blonde simply pulled the hood further past Tubbo’s eyes as Minx turned back around, a bag of sweets and one lemon tart in her hands. Tommy thanked her and dropped more than enough gold onto her stall, rushing the other prince out before something broke out between the two. The blonde dragged the other to a small alleyway, away from the every growing marketplace.  
“What the hell was that?! You looked like you were going to kill her!” Tommy whisper yelled to the other, who pulled the heavy hood off his fragile horns, revealing himself in the darkness. “I didn’t know people were allowed to talk to you that way. Forgive me, if that had been in Manberg, she would have been killed on the spot.” Tubbo explained, regret building in his words, much to Tommy’s horror. “Do you… really kill people over small stuff like that?” Tubbo nodded sadly, the other gulped nervously. “Big T, do you like living in Manberg?” Tubbo froze at the question, his blood going cold. “I-”He started before snapping his head to look into the courtyard, his ears perked up at full attention.  
“What are you-” Tubbo shoved his hand on Tommy’s mouth, earning a muffled fit of rage as the goat prince listened and sniffed the air coming from Pogtopia. Something was wrong, there’s someone here who isn’t supposed to be. “We have to go now.” Tubbo turned back to Tommy as he released the other. “Just tell me to shut up next time!” “No, that’s rude.” Tubbo peaked out of the alley and pulled the hood back around his face. “Why are we leaving? Don’t you want to see the market more?” Tommy grabbed the other’s hand, a new constant in their developing friendship. Tubbo grimaced, the smell coming back to his nose. There was another Manbergian.  
“There’s an intruder. Someone is looking for me. Someone from Manberg is here looking for us.” The blonde stiffened and nodded solemnly before taking off in a sprint towards the castle, Tubbo in tow behind him. The two ran at a constant pace, citizens parting out of their way in fear of getting plowed down. Tubbo’s ear twitched. Behind them, someone had seen the two and begun to chase after them. The heavy hood that shielded Tubbo’s face had begun to slip, exposing slips of his brown hair, glances of his curling ram horns, and peaks of his unusual eye color. Those close enough to the running duo gasped or screamed if they caught a glimpse of the enemy prince. The castle door opened for the incoming flurry of two boys and shut the second they had entered the wide vaulted entrance way. Niki stood confused at the gates as Tommy heaved over attempting to catch his breath, Tubbo however peaked out the side window, looking for anyone out of the ordinary that could have followed them. There out in the crowd, stood a single man who smiled up at the locked, wooden door. The man stayed still as people around him pushed and ebbed in the growing crowd. Tubbo caught his eye contact and recognized where he had seen the feline shaped pupils. Fox ears peaked out from under the man’s hat and an orange tail wagged gleefully, mockingly as he bowed slightly to his prince and joined the crowd once more. His father had sent Fundy, the half fox who had scarred his face, to retrieve him. Tubbo shrunk back away from the window and shuffled to Tommy, who sat defeated and out of breath on the stone floor.  
“We’re in trouble.” Tubbo huffed as he joined the prince on the floor. “Are you two okay?! What happened?” Niki floundered, her arms moving with nothing to do. Tommy sighed and shrugged, shifting the woman’s focus onto his acquaintance. Tubbo gulped nervously. “My father has sent an assassin to save me from my captors.” Tommy and Niki froze, staring at the goat prince as he fiddled with the cloak that weighted down his shoulders. “We’re in serious trouble if he’s here for more than returning me to Manberg.”

Schlatt paced around his office, books and open files littered the floor as his polished shoes crumpled the pages he was standing on. The more the emperor was left alone, the more he missed his son. In his rage of losing his only child, the man had trashed the office he holed himself up in. He walked around the demolished study, something cracked beneath his heel. A picture frame set, cracked beyond repair under his foot. The picture inside that of Schlatt holding Tubbo as a toddler. Schlatt wasn’t wearing his crown, or any royal clothes, instead settling for a hoodie and yankee's baseball hat that fit his younger features. Tubbo sat in the man's arms, smiling up at his father as said man pointed to the camera, smiling, pure joy radiating from the yellowing picture. The emperor collapsed onto his knees, cradling the picture in his shaking hands as tears fell from his stone-cold scowl. The goat king with no empathy suddenly caught up to all the regret that accumulated from neglecting his son. As Tubbo got older, he reminded Schlatt more and more of the boy’s mother, driving a wedge between the violent ruler and his pacifist son. Schlatt curled over the picture, his shoulders shaking as he sobbed, afraid of the thought that his son would never come back home, that he had pushed the boy too far too fast and couldn’t bring him back. The emperor cried until the morning’s sun brought light into the broken man’s study, waking him for another day of lonesome as his boy was still missing.


	5. What is a Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> what's angst?? never heard of it..... ANYWAYS I hope you enjoy !!

It had been two months since Tubbo had disappeared from his home country, remaining in a constant limbo of being a prisoner and a guest in the enemy kingdom of Pogtopia. Blue moonbeams shined into the sleeping city through cracks in the cavern’s ceiling. Tubbo lay on the guest room’s plush bed, staring at the lightless city that seemed to stretch into the depths of the cave, no glimmer of candlelight within the void windows. The prince shifted uncomfortably, suddenly claustrophobic of the impending stone walls that always surrounded him. He suddenly wondered how long Tommy had gone without sunlight, if some of the children that lived in the underground kingdom had ever smelled fresh air. He bolted out of the bedding and slammed the window open, trying to breath as evenly as he could in his anxious state. The “open” air did the opposite, it’s stale and breezeless current not supplying the same chill that Manberg mountain air used to do. He crumpled into a heap on the ground, gasping in pained breaths, pretending it as the same winter air it should have been. A knock drew him out of the episode, the wooden door of his room creaked open. He half expected it to be his blonde friend but instead was greeted by the prince’s oldest brother, his pink hair rumpled and unkempt. The man froze, uncomfortably shifting his weight between his feet.  
“Sorry, I thought this room was open.” Techno explained. Tubbo nodded ferociously, rubbing the tears that stained his cheeks. The man however didn’t move from the doorframe, Tubbo looked at his hands in embarrassment.  
“Would you-” The half pig prince started, Tubbo snapped his head up to look the man in his white void eyes. Techno cleared his throat anxiously and gestured to the wardrobe that sat undisturbed in the corner of the room. Tubbo hadn’t noticed or cared about the furniture, but as the prince opened it for the boy, his eyes widened. Diamond and netherite axes, swords, and hoes lined the inside of the wooden closet. Techno snatched one of each before moving out of the way. Tubbo reached timidly for a small diamond dagger and weighted it in his palm, the man towering above him nodded and moved to exit the room. Without saying a word, Tubbo followed.  
The unlikely duo walked through the castle, city, and outerlands of Pogtopia for what felt like hours in complete silence. In a strange way, Tubbo realized that he no longer felt trapped in the closed off kingdom, due to the oldest prince’s strange and intriguing behavior. “You and Tommy have been getting on good?” Techno asked out of the blue, after nearly three hours of cold shoulder. Tubbo jumped slightly, almost dropping the dagger he had been playing with. “Y-yes sir. I’ve never met someone my age before. It’s nice to talk to a person similar to me.” “Similar how?” Tubbo paused slightly. “Well, we’re both future kings. We both enjoy spending time together. I don't know? I feel like I could talk to him about anything and it wouldn’t bore me.” He fiddled with the knife as the two lapsed back into quiet.  
“We’re here.” Techno placed the pack full of tools and weapons down as Tubbo took in the sight before him. Rows upon rows of farmland stretched for acres in the dimly lit cave, in the middle of the garden sat a simple wooden building that Techno began to approach. The young prince followed suit, pushing the doors open to reveal a training barrack complete with wooden dummies and an archery range.  
“Is this where you disappear everyday?” Tubbo wondered aloud. The half pig pulled a lever on the wall that simultaneously lit all the candles in the building and closed the doors. “Yes. I train here all day, all the time.” Techno replied in his normal monotone dialect. “I could tell you’re like me. You hate being confined in the castle.” The goat prince looked down embarrassed before Techno scoffed. “Don’t worry, I wont tell anyone about...whatever that was. I brought you here to show you an escape.” The older man pulled up on the bamboo floor, revealing a trapdoor that led down, suspended by flimsy ladders. “What? Why….why are you telling me this?” Tubbo hunched up, suddenly defensive of what the prince was suggesting.  
Technoblade shrugged and descended the ladders before the other could ask more questions. “Follow me if you want, I don't care.” With that, Tubbo hopped into the hole in the ground as the trapdoor closed shut above his head. In the dark, the boy followed the pig prince through the narrow tunnel system. Even with the walls and ceiling inches away on either side, Tubbo didn’t feel claustrophobic, the thrill of the older prince’s adventure fueling his motivation to find the end. Techno stopped suddenly, causing the boy behind him to slam into his back as he fumbled around in the pitch black. “Stop flailing. You’re gonna hurt yourself.” The man scolded before unlatching a loose rock and pushing against the stone in front of him, the loose gravel slowly falling as the wall shifted and swung open with a loud bang. Tubbo’s eyes had to readjust to the sudden flash of light, as the scene before him came to view, he felt the air leave his lungs. Manberg in all it’s glory sat undisturbed and asleep as the snowy night blew cold air across the mountain top. The two princes stood at the hidden entrance on Prime mountain, the brunette close to tears once more while the pink haired man readjusted the axe that sat perched on his shoulder.  
“You can go if you want.” He said to the young prince, who turned to Techno in surprise. “What do you mean? Aren’t I your prisoner?” The man shrugged nonchalantly, making the goat prince slightly upset at his carelessness. “I’m gonna be honest, I could tell Tommy felt bad having you holed up in the castle. Even I could tell you were unhappy. So I figured, you already know where Pogtopia is, so if you ever want to visit just come up here and leave something for me to know it’s you. The next day I’ll open the door and you can enter.” A smile began to grow on Tubbo’s face until Techno leaned down to his height, staring his glee down. “And if you leak this information to anyone, the entrance will be sealed immediately and I will deny ever showing you it. Understand?” The younger nodded nervously before the smile returned as the weight of the situation fell on his mind. Before Techno could react, the boy latched himself around the older man in a quick hug. He backed away from the petrified man, treading his boots in the thick snow. “Tell Tommy and Phil I’ll visit soon.” Techno nodded and turned back into the tunnel’s entrance. Tubbo began to descend the mountain, turning back to watch the rock door slowly swing back into place. “Thank you Technoblade!” He called to the man as the mountainside sealed once again. As the sun began to rise, Tubbo reached the base of Prime mountain, tired and frozen from horn to toe. The gate that fenced off Manberg was within the boy’s sight, earning a tired smile from the prince. “Halt!” A voice snapped at Tubbo who turned slightly to the noise. There standing at the gate entrance was a young man wearing a strange snow jacket that had patched pieces of pink, green, blue, and purple. The prince fought the urge to run, instead sluggishly approaching the young knight as the tips of his ears began to go numb. “C-can you… go t-t-tell my f-father…. I'm h-home.” He shivered with each word, the snow leaking into his bones. The knight walked to the prince, pausing as he recognized the sickly boy before him. “Prince Tub?! Your highness!” The man ran to the boy and supported his side just as his legs gave out. “Karl? What’s going on?” A blonde guard with purple eyes called from his position behind the gate, standing up as Karl reached that gate entrance with the lost prince draped over his back. “Holy shit! Is that-” 

“Your Imperial majesty, there’s important news.” Jschlatt groaned as his friend shook his sleeping body. “Ugh, Quackity, it’s 5 am.” The emperor huffed as he sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Quackity bowed slightly, an excited grin lingering making Schlatt slightly nervous. “Something arrived a few minutes ago.” He said, opening the door for the goat king who slowly made his way across the room, muttering curses to the man as they walked down the long hallway. Quackity lead the man to the prince quarters. Schlatt stopped walking, afraid to enter the empty room. “What type of sick fucking joke is this Big Q.” He growled, Quackity just smiled back and pushed the door open, sending morning light into the unlit hallway. As the king entered the large room, a mass shifted slightly on the bed. Tufts of brown hair poked above the top of the blanket, making Schlatt’s heart skip a beat.  
“Tubbo? My son?” The mass stilled and immediately sat up, the blanket falling from the prince’s head, revealing his fully grown horns to his father's awestruck face. “Father? Father I’m so sorr-” Tubbo was cut off as Schlatt wrapped his son in a hug, silent tears dripping from the man’s eyes as his shoulders shook. Tubbo froze, not used to the physical affection or his father’s openness with emotions. “Don’t you dare apologize. I thought I had lost you forever. My son, I’m sorry… for everything.” Schlatt choked out between tears. The prince drew in a deep breath, tears welling up in his eyes as he wrapped his arms around his father. The two sat on the bed, latched in an embrace as they both quietly sobbed in relief.


	6. A Visit to the Enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the next chapters are gonna get crazy.....

“What do you mean he’s gone?! Techno, you said you saw him, which way did he go?! I can stop him before he gets back-” Tommy shouted to the three older royalty before him. As he ran past them, Techno stopped him, wrapping his much stronger arm around his body, preventing the boy from moving. “I’m sorry Tommy.” The pink haired prince mumbled. It suddenly dawned on the blonde that his brothers, his family, had planned this. “You- you’re all scheming bastards! You let him leave so he would freeze!” Tommy screamed at Wilbur, who shifted slightly behind Philza’s wings. The youngest prince snarled in annoyance, rage, as he struggled in Techno’s arms. “My boy, please calm down. You heard what he said, there’s an assassin here. We can't have you risking your life to protect our enemy.” The king explained calmly, only to be rewarded by more anger leaking into Tommy’s expression. “The ENEMY?! That’s Tub, not the ‘enemy’! I thought you liked him? I thought he could become part of our family?!” He screamed, making his oldest brother flinch slightly. The entire hall went silent, aside from Tommy’s ferocious struggling, which he eventually forced himself out of. The second his feet hit the ground, he bolted to and out the large wooden door. “Technoblade, is Prince Tub safe?” Phil asked, regret evident in his tone. The prince nodded, which made the king sigh slightly. Wilbur huffed. “We should have killed him when we had the chance. He’s going to be the end of our countries if Tommy continues to rebel for his sake.” He grumbled. Philza stared at his son in shock, in disgust. “He’s a boy Wil. We couldn’t kill a child.” He exclaimed, shakily sucking in a breath that threatened tears as his eldest son grabbed the king’s shoulder. “Wilbur is right. Their friendship will be the end of us.” He repeated out, monotone. Philza backed away from his sons in horror. “This is not the way I raised you two…” He ruffled the wings that lay heavy on his back, his feathers suddenly feeling like lead. “If you boys do anything, anything at all.... Don’t let Tommy find out. It’ll be his breaking point.” The two princes nodded to their father as they turned and walked into the war room, already full of men awaiting their arrival. The doors shut on Philza, who watched in terror as Wilbur began to laugh, reading plans written in the packet he held. “These are not my sons.”

The youngest Pogtopian prince ran through the streets, checking every alleyway for a trace of his missing friend. “Tub? Big T? Please, where are you?” He yelled above people’s heads. He was pushed around by the growing mob of pedestrians before finally escaping the mass, getting thrown into a puddle near the roadside. Tommy felt himself beginning to cry, not tears of sadness, but anger. His own family betrayed him. They sent his only friend out into a blizzard with no directions home. He curled in on himself, his body shaking as sobs wracked his entire being. “Please, let him be okay. Please, let him get home safe. Please, please, please....” “Excuse me?” Tommy whipped his head up, his red puffy eyes glaring down the man towering above him. “I’m kinda in the middle of something, prick.” The man only smiled cunningly as his orange ears flicked backwards slightly. “Please excuse me, your highness, but I was wondering if you would like to accompany me to Manberg? I just got word that Prince Tub arrived this morning and is already asking for you to visit.” The man explained, offering a hand to the blonde. Tommy scowled and shoved the fox-man’s hand away, pushing himself up off the ground on his own. “You must be the man sent here to retrieve him. The assassin?” The man’s eyes widened in mock appreciation as he bowed deeply to the prince. “That’s a high praise from the next king of Pogtopia to call me such a title, thank you my liege.” Tommy frowned more but didn’t retort. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Private Fundy of Sir Halo’s platoon. I am a skilled warrior so know that you are safe if you choose to accompany me back to Manberg.” Fundy bowed once more as he began to walk in the direction of the farmlands. Tommy ran to catch up to the fox. “So I have a choice? You aren’t going to slash my legs if I say no?” The boy asked suspiciously, making Fundy burst out laughing. “Of course you have a choice! If you say no, i’ll have to inform Prince Tub that you declined his invitation. But if you say yes, you will be the first Pogtopian to set foot in Manberg and live to tell the tale.” Fundy smiled, revealing the sharp canine teeth that loom threateningly over the prince. Tommy faltered before regaining his courage. “Okay, fine. Take me to Tub.”

The two had escaped the cavern city through a small hole on the side of a mountain, opening up to a forest and river. Tommy gasped when he saw the clearing, although covered in snow, there were flowers poking through the winter. A small cabin sat undisturbed at the tree line, uninhabited and abandoned for the winter months. “This is Prince Tub’s private bee garden. I had only recently found the entrance to your country by searching here during the hunt.” Fundy explained to the awestruck prince. “What hunt?” Fundy paused slightly, making Tommy hesitate too. “His excellency, Emperor Jschlatt, spent the last two months sending search parties to every corner of Manberg and deep into the Prime forest. A few soldiers were also sent to Lord Dream’s land, but we never found out if they arrived or not.” Fundy continued to walk with Tommy tailing him. The two walked in silence, the only noise that of the man’s tail brushing against the snow. “Does Tub like it there? In Manberg?” Tommy began, making Fundy perk up, his ears relaxing. “I believe so, your highness. Him and his father do not always see eye to eye, but I hope that soon the young master can become his own self. He is a Schlatt by nature, it’s only a matter of him until he grows into his horns!” The fox-man laughed as Tommy shuddered in fear. He had never met the emperor of Manberg, but from the stories his father told him of the years of fighting the two had battled in, and Wilbur’s experiences with the man on the battlefield, Tommy had come to the conclusion that Jschlatt was a terrifying man and an even more terrifying ruler. “Naturally, his excellency will want to meet with you. Perhaps there will be a ball while you are staying here. Prince Tub will be having his coronation now that his horns are fully grown, so you are most likely going to be invited.” Fundy continued to talk after, but the prince tuned him out. Tub was getting coronated, the weight of both the young boy’s situations became obvious all at once. Tommy, the next ruler of Pogtopia, was being led into enemy territory by a trained assassin, to meet with his only friend, the next ruler of Manberg, as well as meet the man who is responsible for thousands of Pogtopian deaths. But he couldn’t turn back now. His own family tricked him, attempted to kill his friend while tricking the boy into believing he was safe, and he was too far away from Pogtopia to even attempt to run, so he continued on through the forest until the towers of a Blackstone castle came into view. “Welcome to Manberg.” Fundy led him down the path to a small fence gate, guarded by two men who opened the entrance upon Fundy’s nod. As the two walked through the streets of town, people who were returning from work or out on the streets would stop and stare at the prince, who shuffled closer to the fox man. “Why are they looking at me like that? It’s creeping me out.” Fundy glanced around at the people before grinning his foxlike smile back to Tommy. “It’s cause they’ve never seen a boy with red eyes before.” The man joked, getting a small laugh out of the boy. They arrived at the castle’s entrance, soldiers in metal armor patrolled the area, some staring down the enemy prince while others continued with their duty. The doors opened and Tommy followed the fox across marble floors and velvet rugs. “This is beautiful.” He whispered allowed, someone laughed at the end of the hallway. There stood a man in a black suit, his hair hidden by a black beanie. “I’m glad you think so, Prince Tommy. I designed it myself!” The man approached the two, a firm smile plastered on his face. Fundy dropped into a kneel before the man, leaving the prince to look between the two confused. “Sire Quackity.” “Fundy! I’m surprised he actually came. Thank you for your service soldier.” Quackity praised the man. “I’m only here because Tub sent for me.” Tommy grimaced. He hated formalities, especially with this posh bastard in front of him. “Oh, of course, I’ll take you to his quarters. The young master is still recovering from his journey.” Quackity talked as he led the prince up stairs and through winding halls, eventually stopping in front of a large, dark green door. The man knocked twice, his thuds echoing down the marble hallway, making Tommy’s heart skip two beats. “Enter.” A gruff voice boomed from the closed off room. Tommy looked to Quackity in surprise, earning a hearty laugh from the man. “That’s Schlatt. Have fun.” He said, opening the door for the blonde. Inside the large, high vaulted room sat a huge bed, covered in curtains and a fire roaring in it’s pit, making the room smell like smoke and Applewood. Tommy breathed in the wonderful fragrance, a nice change from the normal wet stone smell of Pogtopia. The bed moved slightly, catching Tommy’s attention as a figure shifted to look around the thick curtain that blocked his view. Tubbo sat in his bed, reading a book, but dropped it as soon as Tommy came within his sight. The boy flew out of the blankets, stumbling slightly and falling in a heap at the base of his bed. Tommy rushed to his side, trying to pull the boy up off the cold ground, but was instead dragged down too as the brunette pulled him into a hug. ”You’re here. You’re actually here.” Tubbo whispered across the prince’s shoulder. Tommy felt weird to say the least. He wasn’t used to hugs, or any physical contact for that matter, and the feeling of a goat horn next to his ear was an odd and off putting presence, but it was Tubbo, the only family he trusted. A voice cleared it’s throat, making the two boys retreat and turn to the distraction. There, sitting on a lounge chair, was the emperor of Manberg in all his pajama glory. He rose from the chair and offered a hand to both the princes. Tubbo gladly took his father’s hand, who pulled him up off the ground, his legs shaking slightly. Tommy scowled at that and hesitantly took the man’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Prince Tommy. My son wouldn’t shut up about you and your family.” Schlatt smiled, wrapping his arm around Tubbo. The blonde didn’t reply, only giving a curt nod, the goat man noticed his hesitance and quickly excused himself from the room. “I hope to see you more during your visit. Dinner is at 7.” Schlatt said before closing the heavy wooden door behind him, leaving the two princes behind. They stood for a second before they both at the same time said “I have so much to tell you-”


	7. The man in blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the short chapter!! lots of stuff coming soon, prepare for angst :)

If Tommy has learnt anything in the past few days, it’s that he hates parties. Granted, the actual party hadn’t started yet, the party PLANNING was what he despised. “Big T, is the fucking curtain color really this important? I want to explore, maybe go stab some shit.” Tommy complained as he lay draped across a plush chair. The two princes sat in the library, Tubbo at a long table studying hundreds of fabrics, all varying in texture in color, as Tommy continued to pester the boy for hours. At first, Tubbo suggested Tommy read a book to him but quickly realized the blonde did not have the attention span for reading, let alone sitting in one spot for two hours. Tubbo sighed and leaned back in his seat, resting the heavy horns against the plush backing. He could sense the boy behind him fidget slightly. “Do they… are they uncomfortable?” Tommy approached the table earning the brunette’s attention. Tubbo stared at him confused until he pointed slightly to the curling brown horns that wrapped around his ears. “Oh. I mean, yeah. But it’s much worse than normal.” Tommy went to poke the goat prince’s horn before he flinched away. “Can we please go somewhere? As much as I like your castle, it’s getting a little stuffy in here with all the new people.” The Manberg castle had been getting busier with the approaching ball. Royalty from neighboring kingdoms and nobility on Schlatt’s “acquaintance” list had been arriving at the castle gates in the carriage-fulls, bags in hand. Tubbo laughed slightly and rose from his seat. “Fine. I can show you the farm. Or perhaps the barracks.” He pondered aloud. Tommy’s face lit up at the mention of the later option. “Barracks? As in, fighting and training barracks?!” He exclaimed, much to the boat prince’s bemusement. “Of course, what other type of barrack is there? I believe Bad is there at the moment,” He paused slightly, “You two might now get along though.” “I’ll make sure not to mess your friends up too bad.” Tubbo laughed as the two exited the library and into the bustling hallway. “That’s not what I'm worried about.”

“You goddamn son of a bit-” “LANGUAGE!” “Will you let me speak?! I’m using a figure of speech!” Tubbo sighed, his best friend and mentor having a scene in the middle of the sparring room, gaining many of the soldier’s attention. “Tub said you were strong, I’m just challenging you to a duel!” Tommy exclaimed, the wooden sword at his side wobbling slightly. Bad huffed and pinched the bride of his temple. “And like I just said, I’m not going to have a duel with a 16 year old. You’re not ready for that type of battle.” “What the fuck did you just say! I’ll fight you right now bitch!” Tommy yelled as he jumped into an attack stance. Tubbo tensed slightly. Bad Boy Halo was an extremely skilled fighter, the best he had ever met, if he actually did get riled up by his friend and had a full on duel, Tommy would not walk away without bruises and cuts. The two’s death stare was broken as a man burst into the room, laughing loudly with the group of men surrounding him. “Ah, Bad! How’s it going my friend?” The man in blue approached the two standing in the middle of the training mat. “Skeppy, good to see you too. Sorry, I might be late for our outing, the prince of Pogtopia is very insistent that I fight him.” Bad explained to the man clad in diamond armor. Skeppy sized the boy up, huffing slightly as he smirked, turning his attention up to Tubbo who sat perched near the wall. “How about a 2v2, your majesty?” All eyes turned to Tubbo who simply stared back at the man in silent furry. He got up slowly and walked towards the center of the room. “I can take you both!” Tommy yelled back at the two while Bad turned to Skeppy. “I don't think this is a good idea. The young master is still healing from his frostbite.” Skeppy laughed, the smile not reaching his eyes as he glared down the prince. “He’ll be fine. Draw your weapon.” 

Tommy stood with Tubbo at one side of the mat while the two older men stretched on the other. Tubbo gripped the sword by his side, his hand shaking slightly, earning the blonde’s worried gaze. “You don’t have to participate. I can take them both if you watch my back.” He suggested, the brunette shook his head and swallowed down his nerves. The last time he and Skeppy had a match, he had been left in the hospital for a month with two broken ribs and head force trauma. He swiped the sword in front of his body a couple strokes, testing it’s weight before patting Tommy’s shoulder. “You’ll be the one watching my back.” He joked before a soldier near the sideline shouted “Start!”. With that, either side lunged to the center and clashed swords. Tubbo however evaded to the side of the blue man and struck his exposed neck and kicking the back of his knee, bringing Skeppy down in a matter of seconds. Bad’s attention was drawn to the hurt man on the ground, giving an opening as Tubbo ducked under his swing and brought the sword to his teacher’s throat. The battle at a standstill. Tommy, awestruck, hadn’t even begun to move his sword for an attack. Skeppy lay on the ground, writhing in pain at his obviously broken knee. Bad and Tubbo stood as still as stone, neither attempting to move. The brunette’s mind still racing, attempting to catch up as Bad began to smile, eventually erupting in joy and scooping the prince up in a hug. “That was amazing, young master! You’ve gotten so much stronger since you left!” Bad exclaimed, Tubbo began to smile as well. “Sorry to break up a nice moment,” Skeppy announced from the floor, “but can I please go to the medical wing?” Bad dropped Tubbo immediately and scooped up his friend. “Sorry boys! We can go explore town later!” He called to the two as he sprinted down the long hallway and deep into the castle interior with Skeppy yelping in pain all the way.  
“Well shit. Big T, I had no idea you…” Tommy started, staring at the unused sword in hand. Tubbo felt a sudden wave of guilt wash over him. It all just struck him how he stole the other’s moment, stole his pride. He shifted slightly on his heels, nervously tensing his grip on the sword before a great idea blessed him. “How about we have a duel?” Tubbo suggested. Tommy pounced on the idea instantly, grabbing a shield from a nearby weapon-stand. “Just don't go easy on me!” He yelled out with a grin. Tubbo held back some blows and gave the boy plenty of openings, and in the end they emerged from the barracks smiling and giggling among themselves as they made their way to dinner.

As much as Wilbur wanted to say he missed his youngest brother, he found that with him having “escaped” to Manberg, life in the castle seemed much less chaotic and stressful. No more war criminals staying as his guest. No more mud tracked in from his late night walks. No more laughter at the dinner table. No more Phil, as the man had holed himself up in the study and avoided his remaining sons at all costs. Wilbur hadn’t noticed until Techno pointed out that Phil hadn’t spoken to the two in almost a week. “Why should I care. We’ve gotten more planned with the war in the past day than he has in a year.” The middle prince grumbled as he shifted through papers and files on Pogtopian defense systems. Techno sat across the table from him, looking up at his brother in disgust. “He’s the king Wilbur, and you’ll address him as such.” He said simply, threat lacing his words. Wilbur spared him a glance before huffing and returning to the paperwork. “I don’t get why you didn’t kill the damn ram on the mountain. That was the plan but no, you had to send him back home half frozen.” Techno stared down his unamused brother. “Now Tommy’s a traitor and he might get in the way of the attack.” Wilbur groaned in annoyance, pushing a paper towards Techno. On the document, plans of a night attack read out like a novel. Details on location, code-words, expected casualties all lay on the single sheet in the oldest prince’s hands. At the top of the sheet in red letters spelled the name and date of attack; December 25th, The Manberg Coronation Massacre.


	8. Nightmares of the Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long lmao  
> i am very tired and lowkey loosing motivation for this story, but don't worry it's just a little writer's block !!  
> i hope you enjoy!

Tubbo’s governess was at his side the second the two princes entered the castle’s large foyer. “Prince Tub! Look at you, you’re caked in mud!” She practically cried out, immediately tending to the brunette’s birdnest of hair. Tommy laughed at his friend’s expression, only earning the lady’s attention and her immediate accusations that “they had dinner in 10 minutes and aren’t presentable in the slightest”. Tubbo assured the woman that they would meet her after they changed clothes and ran down the hallway to his room, Tommy trailing him all while laughing at his situation. In Pogtopia, his family never bothered with dressing the part of royalty. He never would have imagined that while staying in Manberg, his sworn enemy’s kingdom, he would be dressing in luxurious velvets and simmering gold for a simple meal. Once Tommy reached his room, he noticed that the area had been invaded. His pack of clothing had been hung in the wardrobe as well as his bedding being tucked and neatened. What did catch his attention was the red and white tailcoat lying across his pristine bed. After a moment of shocked wonder, running his calloused hands across the elegant fabric, he threw it on and rushed out the door. “We’re late Tommy!” A voice shouted as the shape of his friend sprinted past him, his polished black shoes clicking down the marble hallway. Tommy took off after him, matching his pace and running alongside Tub as the two arrived at the dining hall’s grandorious doors. They paused a moment catching their breath before Tommy pushed the door open for the other. Tommy suddenly felt a wave of nausea as the music from the ballroom erupted into his ears. Before him, roughly a hundred hierarchy sat conversing or danced around the open floor space. Tubbo sighed silently enough for Tommy to hear. “I’m sorry Tommy. I didn’t know father was having a meeting today.” Tommy’s mind was reeling. “A meeting? This is a… meeting?” The brunette giggled and led the way to the front of the long, golden table, taking a seat next to his father who sat perched upon his golden lava throne. Tommy shuffled uncomfortably next to him until Tubbo motioned for him to take a seat. As the two boys sat, watching the ever growing intoxicated crowd of nobles flock and fumble over each other in disgust. “Do you like your present?” Tubbo asked, pulling the blonde from his judging glare at the crowd. Tommy turned to the other in surprise. “The coat? It’s beautiful, thanks.” He mumbled slightly, Tubbo simply laughing and turning back to looking across the room. Specks of gold caught Tommy’s eye, shimmering from around the goat prince’s horns and dangling from his ram-like ears. “Oi, big T, what’s all that?” Tommy questioned, guesting to his own head where a pair of horns would sit if he weren't himself. Tubbo reached up timidly before grimacing slightly. “They’re my precastings. On coronation day, the next in line has to get their horns cased in molten gold as a part of initiation,” He replied, snorting slightly as if it were a joke. “According to my father, my grandfather dunked his own horns while the lava was still heating the gold. My father however… he cased his own horns as well, told me it hurt like hell and wasn’t for pussies.” Tubbo slouched in his throne. Tommy dropped back into his own seat as well, overwhelmed by the noise in the room as well as the revelation of Manberg’s barbaric ritual. Hours passed as the two princes sat side by side, eventually excusing themselves once most of the adults had passed out or had escaped back into their carriages. As they stood from the table, Jschlatt held his hand out to Tubbo, shocking both the boys into stillness. “Tubbo, my boy.” He slurred out, alcohol creeping into the man’s ever growing accent. Tommy cringed slightly but Tubbo leaned into his father’s embrace, wrapping an arm around the older man. Tommy could swear he heard the emperor sob quietly into his son’s shoulder before pulling away, a dim glimmer in his eye from fresh tears or the booze. “Tubbo, I’m so proud of you. I heard about your practice thingy in with Bad and Skeppy.” Schlatt smirked as he began to laugh obnoxiously. “Same with you Tommy, son of Phil. I heard you both did wonderfully!” Tommy was struck for a moment, overwhelming pride and a growing ego rising in his chest at the praise. Schlatt however yawned slightly and checked out into the pitch black sky that encased the windows surrounding the ballroom. “It’s late boys. You better turn in soon, big day tomorrow.” He yawned again before rising from the magma throne, stumbling at the change of gravity and slowly shuffling out the door, leaving the two boys behind. “His good when he wants to be.” Tubbo smiled softly to himself, leading Tommy back out the door and stopped at their respective rooms. “Well,” Tommy started, feeling a yawn overwhelm his clouded mind as sleep began to beg him closer. “Good night Tommy.” Tubbo smiled tiredly. Tommy returned the gesture and closed the door behind him, immediately collapsing onto the neatly made bed as sleep took over his conscious thoughts.

Wind blew through the soft green grass, rustling the timid flower buds that lie sitting on the treetops. Tommy stared up at the cherry blossoms, hands behind his head and basking in the cool breeze that flowed with his hair. The serenity of Prime Mountain lingered in the air, but Tommy felt a hole in his side. Suddenly aware of himself, every joint in his body ached. He tried to sit up, slow panic rising in his blood, but his muscles lay tensed and unmoving. “Tub? Where are you?!” He screamed, his voice getting lost in the cherry scented wind that began to grow, whipping around his face to the point of painful chills. The clear blue sky that enveloped the prince’s vision grew polluted, grey clouds rising from where Manberg lay as a deafening explosion emanated from the kingdom. Tommy could only listen in horror as screams echoed into the mountain range, fire crackling and more explosions tracing the screeching. After what felt like hours of listening to the massacre below him, the screaming finally fell silent as someone approached the paralyzed boy. Sweat pooled on his temple as the person blocked the sky from his view. Wilbur smirked down at his brother, half his face burnt to the point of un-identification, but his signature beanie and curly brown hair left unaffected from the fire. “Wilbur-” Tommy choked out, realizing at the moment he had been sobbing for so long all that was left was a sore throat and his numb mind. “Hello Tommy.” His brother replied manically, his smile never faltering. Tommy moved to sit up again, this time lifting himself off the singed black grass that soaked his blonde hair in soot. The question he had for his brother died in his chest as the view of Manberg sunk into his line of sight. At the base of Prime Mountain lay the ruins of the castle, burnt bodies frozen at the edges of Manberg’s borders. He felt himself gag slightly at the view, turning to Wilbur as the man sat next to him. “Wilbur….Tubbo?” He whimpered out, feeling guilt, fear rising with the bile in his stomach. Wilbur simply laughed and reached for an item tied to the older prince’s belt. Tommy felt himself shifting in and out of consciousness as his brother untied the object and placed it in his lap. A single, golden horn lay on his legs, dried blood crusted at its base and scorched black from near impact of the explosion. It dawned on Tommy as he sat frozen, staring down at the lone ram horn, that he knew exactly where the explosion was triggered at. “T-tubbo?” Tommy sobbed, his shaking hands reaching around the last remains of his friend, bringing it to his chest as Wilbur began to laugh. “He’s now the king of a fucking crater.”

Tommy was jostled awake, yelling out and swiping at the hands on both his shoulders. “Tommy! Tommy calm down! It’s me!” Tubbo cried out, retreating his hands as the other curled in on himself. It took the two a few seconds for the blonde to relax before he realized his situation. “Tubbo!” He pulled the boy into an embrace, clinging to his back as tears soaked the goat prince’s pajamas. “Tubbo, jesus fucking christ…” Tubbo simply patted his friend’s back, letting the boy pull back once his tears stopped and he composed himself. “Do you want to talk about it?” Tubbo asked, earning a slight shutter from the other. Tommy sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes tiredly. “I-... Wilbur blew up Manberg. On your coronation day. I couldn't...do anything. I felt so helpless. And after all the screaming had stopped, he came up to me and gave me… he gave me your horn Tubbo! Your severed fucking horn!” Tommy shook as he relieved the experience, angry that he was being this vulnerable when he was supposed to be the strong one of the two. “Oh god. That- Tommy I’m sorry. It was only a dream, Wilbur would never do something like that.” Tubbo assured the other, smiling slightly, trying to convince Tommy of his brother’s false intentions. Tommy offered a fake smile and agreed with his friend, lying back down to try and get more sleep. Instead, greeted by the echoing screams of Manbergians as his friend retreated back to his room, purple night sky encasing Tommy as more tired tears ran along his cheeks.


	9. Author's Note

Hello everyone! It's been a while I'm so sorry.  
So in case you didn't know or don't know me on instagram, I have discontinued this story. The main reason being I have lost all motivation to continue it. Another reason I will NEVER be continuing this story is because recently, Wilbur mention on stream that he does not like when fics or comic artists make him the main antagonist. I had a feeling that eventually, the story would have developed his character into something like that and I would not/will never take pride in being the author of a work that Content Creators are uncomfortable with. I am extremely sorry to all the people who want more from this fic but I will not be adding to it. Thank you all for supporting me and reading up until now and I hope you can all forgive me! :]


End file.
